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Nathan Brewer Obituary

Nathan Ferguson Brewer, 88, passed away peacefully in his home on Wed, April 21, at 11 a.m. He was born Aug 27, 1921 in Springfield at Bennett and Golden, the first of four children to Clarence and Ina (Ferguson) Brewer. Nathan's father was an equine teamster and his mother was a seamstress and housekeeper. He attended Douglas Elementary and Lincoln High School. As a child Nathan became enamored with trucking. During his senior year of high school in 1939, he restored a 1924 model T ford truck and began driving a reclaim/recycle, trash and metals route. That trash truck route is the oldest surviving truck route of its kind in Springfield to this day. He discovered recycling always gave him pocket change when his friends had none. Having exceptional driving skills, Nathan spent a year with a depression era infrastructure program called the CCC, Civil Conservation Corps. The CCC ended with the beginning of WWII. Nathan, who had contracted a slight case of polio as a child, was spared conflict. He continued trucking during the war by meticulously blending fuels (Kerosene and Moth balls) that were not rationed by the war effort. He married Lora Francis Rice, a very beautiful 18 year old Lincoln High senior, in September of 1943. Nathan worked in O'Rielly Army Hospital as an orderly until operations began to scale back. By the end of the forties, Nathan and Francis had five children. He worked for several local concerns until retirement from Springfield City Utilities after 20 years of service as a maintenance supervisor. Nathan joined the Fellowship of Gibson Chapel Presbyterian Church at Tampa and Washington Ave in Springfield. He was very patriotic, was fond of music and enjoyed reading American Western novels. Preceding him in death were his parents; sister, Anabelle Brewer Jenkins; brother, Carl Brewer and his loving wife of 62 years, Lora Rice Brewer. Nathan is survived by his sister, Edith Lucille Brewer Spencer; three daughters, Helen Brewer Hurst, Lorene Louise Brewer Turner and Sandra Francis Brewer; two sons, James Nathan Brewer and Clarence Talmage Brewer; nine grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren and a host of family and friends who will morn his passing at a service to be conducted in Klingner-Cope Family Funeral Home at White Chapel, 5234 W State Hwy EE (Division), beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Reverend Donald Glunt of Gibson Chapel will speak in remembrance of Nathan Brewer, thanking God for his wonderful life spent with us. A remembrance repast will be held in Gibson immediately following the service and a memorial concert featuring many local musicians will be held at the family farm located at 1899 Farm Road 123, one mile west of Springfield at old sunshine road and Wilson Creek, beginning at 4 p.m. May 1, 2010. Online condolences may be made to www.klingner funeralhome.com.

Published by News-Leader on Apr. 25, 2010.
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